Shoe



Patented June 10, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE.

Application filed April 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM KELLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alexander, in the county of McKenzie and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoes and has for its object the provision of a shoe having novel fastening means replacing the usual laces, the advantage being that the shoe is highly desirable for use by firemen and other emergency workers as it is fastened by means of a single securing element and therefore requires the minimum time for fastening.

An important object is the provision of a shoe of this character in which the closure includes an elastic element which has the advantage of producing a greater or less degree of yielding to the movements of the wearers body.

Another object is the provision of a shoe of this character in which the closure extends across the front at the logical place and is held by an adjustable fastening.

An additional object is the provision of a shoe of this particular type which will be inexpensive to manufacture, which will not only be a time saver when putting it on but which will be comfortable, neat in appearance, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illusstrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe constructed in accordance with my invention, the flap being shown in open position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the flap closed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown my shoe as being very similar in construction to the ordinary shoe, that is to say it includes the usual sole A, upper B, counter C provided with the usual heel D. The upper B is provided at the front of the shoe with the usual opening E. In the ordinary shoe, however, this opening would be drawn together by means of laces passing through holes or engaging hooks. I

In the actual carrying out of my inven- 1922. Serial No. 550,114.

tion, I prefer to use a bellows tongue 10 which is secured upon the inner side of the upper at opposite edges of the opening E, this tongue being sufliciently expansible to permit the shoe to be placed on the wearers foot easily and just as easily removed therefrom. I also provide a flap 11 which is stitched or otherwise secured to the upper at one side of the opening E and this flap is formed with a plurality of slots 12 through which pass leather strips 13 which also pass through slots 14 in the upper at the side of the opening to which the flap 11 is secured and these leather strips are secured upon the outside of the upper at the other side of the opening, as clearly shown in Figure 1. Secured to the free ends of these leather strips 13 are elastic strips 15 which are stitched or otherwise secured to the underside of the flap 11.

The free end of the flap carries a hook 16 which is engageable within a selected one of a series of holes 17 formed in a strap 18 secured upon the outside of the shoe at the upper edge of the counter.

In Figure 1 the shoe is shown as being in open position ready to be placed upon the wearers foot. After the foot has been placed within the shoe the wearer swings the flap 11 over so as to cover the opening E and then engages the hook 16 in the proper one of the holes 17. This closed position is clearly illustrated in Figure 2 and it will be observed that the shoe pre sents a neat appearance.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a shoe which will be simple to manufacture and Which may be fastened and unfastened in the shortest possible time so that it is well adapt- .ed for use by anyone who has occasion to dress in a hurry, while at the same time the fastening means provided will be very secure as well as adjustable to meet variations in the size necessary for the comfort of the wearer.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is In a shoe having its front formed with an opening extending from the vamp to the upper edge of the upper, a flap of flexible material secured at one edge to the upper near one edge of the opening therein, said flap being of substantially trapezoidal shape and having its free end carrying a securing element, the Wider end of said flap being formed with a series of slots spaced from the secured end thereof, stretchable members secured upon the upper at the opposite side of the opening and passing through slots in the u per near the first mentioned edge thereo and further passing through the slots in the flap with their ends secured to the under side of the flap, and a securing member mounted on the side of the shoe and with which said first named securing element is adjustably connected.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa- 2 ture.

VILLIAM KELLEY. 

